Occupy Wilmington protests corporate control downtown

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Occupy Wilmington made its presence known in Downtown Wilmington Saturday afternoon with a protest at the Bank of America building on Third Street. Over 200 people gathered to show their support for the global movement. Participants waved signs, chanted, and answered questions from people in the community.

Members of Occupy Wilmington say they chose to protest Saturday because it marks the tenth anniversary of the United States involvement in Afghanistan. They say other Occupy groups across the country also protested Saturday, although the actual anniversary of the beginning of the war was October 7.

They say it does not make a difference that the bank was closed. Members agree they are not protesting the people who work at local branches but the symbol of corporate involvement in our community.

“It doesn’t really matter if the bank is opened or closed,” said Occupy Wilmington member Sean Murphy. “We are 24/7 against the corporate control over our country. We’re not fighting against the branch employees. We’re fighting against the financial system itself.”

Murphy says he thinks the protest was a huge success and the group is planning on protesting more in the future. He says he knows that many people are confused about the group’s purpose and that events like the protest help spread the word. Murphy says he just wants people to be aware of what is going on in the community and take a stand if they disagree with choices that are being made by a select number of people.

“I think we’re not mad at corporations, or a lot of people aren’t mad at Capitalism,” Murphy said. “We’re mostly mad that we don’t have representation in politics and that these huge banks have destroyed our economy.”

Murphy says the group holds general assembly meetings daily at Greenfield Lake Park to brainstorm and organize. He says anyone who is interested in learning more is welcome to attend. The group also has a Facebook page that keeps the group informed on upcoming events and ideas.

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mGuest

You have no idea what the term “socialism” means. Looking it up on Dictionary.com does not do justice to an entire political IDEOLOGY. The people who are demanding a socialist government are few and do not represent the masses of the Occupy movement. You are taking a very small percentage of people within a very large demonstration and making it seem like those are the “leaders” of OWS.
Lastly and most importantly– f*** the American Dream, right? Because that’s what these people, who have a better understanding of the U.S. government than you do, are fighting for; and you’re clearly against them.

A great majority of the people who support OWS do not have 401Ks, retirement accounts, stocks, money at all; however, that’s not what they are asking for. They aren’t asking for bail outs and hedge funds, they are asking for the opportunity to work hard and be responsible CITIZENS (look up, in extent). The opportunity that has been taken away from them, from US, by those corporations who are constantly asking for less regulation and more tax loopholes. Example, one of many: The coal industry’s production has increased over 140% within the last 30 years, yet they’ve eliminated 40,000 jobs. Clearly, regulations have not come in the way of their profit (especially considering that the regulations that kept our mountains what they are were removed by the Bush administration). And clearly, there’s no corporate responsibility, no corporate accountability. “Too big to fail” corporations can drive our economy to the sewers and our government will give them more money– from YOUR paycheck, and everyone’s below a certain income level. If you’re so afraid of a Socialist system, I can’t understand how you can stand our the current political climate.
That you do not know why people are protesting is your own fault. Not theirs. You’ve chosen ignorance and given into your cognitive dissonance. Many have spoken and written at great extent as to why they are part of the Occupy movement. All you have to do is control your emotions and “Americanism” in order to be able to listen and try to reason instead of judging without knowledge.

mGuest

Join the military? Why? So I can give up all of my Constitutional rights and fight the wars of the ruling rich? The wars that do not improve our freedoms, but have actually greatly limited them… No, thank you.
But, of course, too many people who join the military don’t even know what the Constitution says: Sure– they can tell you they have the “right to bear arms,” but when it comes to defending the People’s right to freedom of speech… no, thank you, “I’m not a hippie.” Such lack of reasoning from anyone who spits that bs. The people who are brazing the brutality of those who swore to defend them are not doing so because of redistribution of wealth or free tuition; they are being pepper-sprayed and beaten and dragged along the streets because they want their voices heard– it doesn’t matter if one of them wants to do away with the capitalist system and the other doesn’t. A demonstration is for everyone, and all voices to listened to. No one should take seriously an anti-semitic moron who decided to infiltrate the movement; however (and apparently) some people do, so a man who recognized his stupidity promptly took up a sign with the word “a**hole” written on it and stood next to him. Everyone’s voice is represented.
Nowadays, the only way to have political influence, without resorting to bold methods, is to have deep pockets; this legal form of bribery is called “lobbying.” Disclaimer: Lobbying is not the same as petitioning. Petitioning can be done by anyone in this country without the need of $$ (without the need of flying out the misrepresentatives to foreign golf courses, etc).
Why join the military without the knowledge of what you’re willing to DIE for? A flag that is nothing but a symbol? The Constitution? That piece of paper that has been ignored by the “elected” officials? IGNORED– you’d know if you understood what the Founding Fathers intended for this country. If you’re willing to fight and die– fight for your neighbor, not for the minute percentage of the population whose greed runs our financial markets; fight for your family, not for the insufficient oil of other nations; die for your PEOPLE, not for the imperialist agendas of the ruling class.
Maybe if you actually spent some time reading BOOKS (from educated people; meaning: Not the likes of Glenn Beck*), instead of playing CoD or whatever other distraction you succumb to while waiting hours for the next time a higher-up tells you what to do your eyes would be open to a much darker reality (like, those with more than enough money, who manage to send the entire nation into a recession, will be given even more from our own pockets: bail-outs, remember?).
Ignorance is bliss.

PS. How’s your eyesight? 20/20? Not so great? Need eyeglasses? Want eye repair surgery instead? Guess what? It’s available to you through your SOCIALIST form of healthcare — military healthcare. Bask in the glory of the “terrible” socialist healthcare system.

SurfCityTom

the Cain 999 plan at all?

Capital gains are gone; good for some of us.

The poor schmo who makes less than $20,000 would see an approximate annual tax bill increase by 950%. That’s large.

The sales tax hits those who spend their money buying essentials — sounds like the working stiff gets smacked hard on this one.

Better watch what you wish for; you might get it.

If this passed, guys like Warren Buffet would dance in the streets. No capital gains to worry about on real estate or stock sales.

Sounds like a good plan for some. Where do I get in line?

Commonsensenotcommontoday

…you totally want a rewrite of the Constitution to allow direct democracy?

Good luck. It will never happen. It can’t happen. You cannot run a country of over 300 million people via direct democracy. You’re living in a fantasy world.

You also don’t understand the REASON our founding fathers set things up the way they did. Our Constitution protects individual rights and liberties. Direct democracy crushes individual rights in a land where majority rules.

..and you wonder why so many of us are stocking up on ammo and keeping the rifles well oiled?

Guest238

Maybe you scared them last week with your tough talk about blocking the way to yout bank. BTW, you never told me which bank that was.

SurfCityTom

the protests outside the B of A building certainly had impact.

Bank of America reports $6.2 Billion in corporate profits for the third quarter of 2011.

There may be other corporate entities seeking similar protest events.

Trevolution

The 999 plan will be a political band-aid just like the Mccain-Feingold Act to reform campaigning, but in a different context entirely. WE don’t need a new president, or congress, or tax plan. We need a reworking of our entire governmental system putting the power back into the hands of the people, through DIRECT not REPRESENTATIVE democracy. Only then will we fix the problems we face. WE have the technology, and some puppet named Obama, Bush, or Cain won’t bring salvation on a white horse. Only lies and pain for the people. Once we get a direct democracy in the hands of the people can we start thinking about things such as tax plans. No more band-aids, cash injections, or medicine for our failing, big bureaucratic, redtape-infested and corrupt government. It’s time for euthanasia.

Trevolution

WE haven’t even been given a chance to fail. Obama/Bush (insert puppet here) and our Congress have been failing. The globalist leviathan has failed.

Trevolution

Our country back from the corporatist oligarchy we call a democracy.

myorangehat

watch this movie and report back to us. Are you saying no corporate entities exert control over our our food, energy, health, air, water, etc? And I use “exert control” kindly. It’s more like gambling with our food, energy health, air, water, etc in the name of profit. Wall Street cats are smart and know how to make a buck of you, me, our pensions, our education and our community.

Anyway, I wouldn’t throw around that term misinformed so casually. Control and influence should be in the hands of the people of this country.

Guest28451

Its very simple if you are dead serious abotu stopping the corruption then you have to campaign for, support and vote for Herman Cain. The root cause of the corruption that you find so wretched and horrible which infests DC is caused indeed by the leechs in K Street in DC. So how do you do that.. You have to destroy the US Tax Code complete implode it and start over.. With either the 9-9-9 plan or the Fairtax because thats the ONLY Way you will EVER root out the corruption and tax breaks and set asides that are handed out in DC. What you cant support a Republican because its all their fault?? You better look closer to the facts.. The Democrats are much more corrupt in parsing out set asides and tax breaks for their buddies then the Republicans but irregardless only Herman Cain has proposed the elixer to fix this ailing country to fix the tax system. Oh I forgot you’d be pissed because youd once again feel the rich arent paying their fair share No their paying the same percent as everybodyelse is (including many who dont pay Now!!!) There would be no Billion dollar freebies for GE and their CEO Geoffery Immelt. EVERYBODY would contribute to the tax base even those who work under the table because they would still have to pay on the sales tax end and pay back into the system (which means illegal foreign residents who are not here with proper legal authorization as well as those running illegal enterprises would be paying). It would also eliminate the need for people to hide funds overseas for the most part.. So as I said OWS or whatever you want to call yourselves. If your so serious to root out the corruption and carve outs for corporations it wont change unless we get a President who wants to overhaul the tax system in this country unless and until that changes the cancer that is K Street Lobbyist movement nothing will change at all

Commonsensenotcommontoday

More like disjointed, disorganized, and Schizophrenic.

Hey, how about the guy in New York screaming about the Jews controlling Wall Street? Is he just another one of the people you embrace? Just another “facet?”

Don’t consider me indifferent OR cynical. Count me among the resentful and loathing, a dyed-in-the-wool Capitalist who will not stand by and let you or your tool in the White House destroy the very thing that made this country great.

In America you have the freedom to succeed AND the freedom to fail. Which you accomplish is entirely up to you, so stop blaming others for YOUR failures.

myorangehat

If you dig deep into the SimCity plan, guys like Warren Buffet would pay no taxes. Hence, the problem persists with the pizza guy. Getting rid of capital gains (part of his plan) would be a HUGE windfall for the 1%. Not going to work for the betterment of the country.

Now…the FairTax is another story. I think that has potential to get bipartisan support of that movement plays their card right. Would love to see a FairTax booth at Occupy camps. We need tax reform now, what does it tell you when no side is doing anything about it?? Big money and Platinum corporate citizens control both sides.

Guest3216846451

Amen!!

Non-Stick Surface

They dont, but hey whatever man. Anyway my point was only that scheduling your silly protest of… whatever your protesting against beer and seafood is a stupid idea… but hey no one commented on that part… Cus its true.

mmmmmmmmmmmm

Ummmmmm…….. Win what?

Trevolution

My point was not that violent insurrection was more effective in the short-term than peaceful protest (which is true). My point was that ALL peaceful protests are not ineffective which is what you stated by saying they “never” work.

Non-Stick Surface

Nice try… Please allow me to retort.

First of all there is nothing wrong with what you’re saying… It’s just historical evidence does not support it.

Civil Rights Movement represented a popular movement that had been building over the course of the previous three centuries. By and large it was not peaceful. To start with there was Haiti 1791. The French got butchered. There was this whole civil war part that killed about 650,000 Americans. In our own town there was the Wilmington Race Riot of 1898. Some angry white folks overturned 30 years of reconstruction in one day. That was one of the only successful insurrections of a legally elected local government ever in US history. But ok, so you don’t want to count that because it interferes with your brief understanding of human history… ok, how about the 20th century examples such as the Watts riots of 1965… Not good enough? How about the Detroit Riots of 1967? Ok, how about Compton 1994? All of this came about due to disenfranchisement of a specific group or class. To be sure there were excellent examples of non-violent protests (Sit-ins, freedom rides, etcetera) as well as supportive laws; Brown vs. The Board of Education is but one example. The truth is riots cost “the Man” money and hurt so it gets results.

Women’s suffrage is not a different thing from the Civil Rights Movement. We just like to separate the two because it’s easier to think about as an independently evolving concept because we are too mentally lazy. Regardless, you are correct; in and of itself, independent of anything else, Women’s suffrage is an excellent example of peaceful resolution to what is obviously a civil injustice.

India… Dude you have got to be kidding me. Gandhi was just one dude who wouldn’t eat. The economic infeasibility of controlling a sub-continent of divisive tribal people with distinct cultures as well as incompatible religious beliefs was just beyond the ability of the rapidly collapsing British Empire to control. In short… It was cheaper to let India go. If Great Britain had the funds and was not busy fighting Hitler and Tojo do you really believe some skinny anorexic lawyer would have destroyed their East Indian Empire? As for armed rebellions….. I give you The Indian rebellion of 1857 for starters and independence still didn’t come for another 90 years.
Here are some other dudes the brought change through violence, some won some didn’t but the attempt was the same.

The Civil Rights movement was incredibly violent. The civil unrest that caused America’s cities to burn during the sixties and early seventies was part of the civil right movement and lead to urban sprawl as whites poured out of the cities. Medger Evers, MLK, the three civil rights workers in Mississippi, the 101st Airborne had to escort students into newly segregated schools in Little Rock, The Black Panthers and right here in Wilmington, there were deaths during a riot in the early 70s that helped spark the exodus of businesses and law abiding residents out of downtown.

CM

There are certainly contingents of the OWS and its allies that are questionable to say the least. The ones who could use a shower, who vandalize properties and who smash statues of the Virgin Mary in the streets of Rome. I have nothing but scorn for these people and would be glad to see the fire-hoses turned on them. Now, with that established, I do not think it is helpful to stereotype everyone involved in this movement. I think there are a lot of people of good will in America and abroad who are genuinely frustrated. They worked hard and played by the rules and have gotten in turn screwed over by bankers and corporations who played fast and loose with the economy. So can we be a little more particular and less general here? I would urge the OWS movement to narrow its focus and resist the urge to engage in anti-capitalist diatribes and naive ideas about open borders. I would urge those who are skeptical of OWS to acknowledge that our system is not working, the status quo is not acceptable, and that we should not be afraid of reforming capitalism in the spirit of Teddy Roosevelt and Reagan (Trust-busting, ending monopolies, regulations).

Freedom Of Speech

A wise man once asked, “Who is more foolish? The fool or the fool that follows him?”

Non-Stick Surface

Wow… If I were a worthless hippy planning social change through peaceful demonstration (which never works) I would have chosen a weekend that did not place my event in competition with Oysterfest, and Beerfest. Good planning hippies! That’ll stick it to the man!
Next let’s head to the local capitol of international banking and commerce!!! Burgaw! And protest… something vague and ambiguous… Even better!!! Secession!!! Hippy Succession… I have no idea what that is but we should protest for (or) against it. GO HIPPIES AND TRUSTFUND HIPSTERS!

Freyja

I’m glad to see that anyone else is actually paying attention to the details.

your movement too shall pass. You and your ilk espouse the hatred of corporate profits and greedy business owners. Why? Do any of you own your own business? If you don’t and you do have a job, be thankful the business owner is making a profit. Otherwise, they’d have to fire your sorry ass because you’re costing them money.

Beat you, join you…I think I’ll ignore you.

Commonsensenotcommontoday

…feel free to join the military, as I did.

Meanwhile, as long as you allow your compadres to carry signs reading “Redistribute Wealth” and “Pay My Tuition,” it’s quite obvious that protecting my constitutional rights is the last thing on your mind.

You can’t be selective in whose rights you defend. You either respect the Constitution or you don’t.

My Goodness

If you are a citizen of this country, and if you are patriotic, and if you believe in the Constitution, and if you believe in the freedom of speech, and if you believe in the right to bear arms and to peacefully assemble…then you have to admire these protestors. And if you believe in Jesus…he loved the masses and the great unwashed, now didn’t he? The anger and the venom that is spewed at these lawful protestors is neither American, nor is it Christian.

Trevolution

Look at the state of our country. Most of you are content to sit behind your computer screens and judge what you don’t understand. Do you even know the demands of these protesters besides “to stop greedy corporations”? Have you talked to them in the streets? Have you ever even BEEN to one of these protests or rallies as an observer? Have you ever been to one of the recent large scale marches in NYC, DC, LA, Detroit, or Philly? The answer is probably a resounding no. People fear what they don’t understand, and as to be expected fear and ignorance appears on the internet. You don’t like us despite that fact we are defending your constitutional rights? Despite the fact that we are trying to reinstate the power of a document that has only been used as toilet paper by our establishment in recent history? Despite the fact that we offer VIABLE ALTERNATIVES to sliding into another depression? Sure some of us may dress different then you, or smell bad, or carry a megaphone while wearing an American Flag shirt, but the fact we can do all these things is part of the beauty of free speech. Love us, hate us, join us, or be indifferent. Just don’t ever expect to beat us. This is not a localized movement this is global. This is not a revolution; it is an evolution. Of human consciousness, of mind body and soul as well as our political and economic systems. Either sit idly by or spew hateful criticism like the majority of the MSG injected Sheeple, or join the masses and demand changes from a corrupt and terrible governmental system. A system who are our SERVANTS not RULERS, Love us hate us or join us, just don’t ever expect to beat us. The evolution is on. :)

Peyton Garrett

For the Majority of these “occupants”, many have not been out in the world or on their own long enough to know what they are talking about. Ask them why they are there and a kind of vague, dumb look will come over their face. The greedy Corporations? Wow! You better run down and divest yourselves of your 401Ks and retirement accounts. You better sell your stock if You own any. The rich have too much? Wow! Good for them. If You are fortunate to work hard, become educated, take a big chance most of the time, have a dream and the ability to carry through with it, You may become wealthy. Sit on the curb complaining and you become one of the problems in America. You people want a socialist state? Just leave. There are other places on this Planet that will welcome You with open arms….or maybe not. Take that chance.

Commonsensenotcommontoday

You cretins truly believe that protesting at a CLOSED bank will accomplish anything; anything at all?

This was the product of your brainstorming? “Let’s pick a day that ISN’T the tenth anniversary of our launching the war in Afghanistan, claim that it is the tenth anniversary, and then go protest at a closed bank.”

THAT was the best you could come up with?

Here’s something to think about – maybe the government and corporations can enslave people like you…..because you’re SOOOOOOOOO friggin’ stupid……..?

Robo

These people are so misinformed it is pathetic. They complain about corporate greed but they are demonstrating greed by “occupying” public areas paid for by taxpayers. Their goal is simply socialism.

Stevee03

What the Government has made in Profits from the so called bail out. Please occupy the White House, that is where the problem is. These companies you are directing your anger at employee millions of American Families, have paid back the TARP money plus $9.2 Billion Dollars, the real question is where is the $700 Million in TARP repayments and where is the $9.2 Billion in profit the Government made.

Trevolution

WE did. People are right now. Please get more informed before commenting. Thanks.

myorangehar

As people who are familiar with movement know, Occupy is a work in progress. Trying to label, call names,etc…only will take away your own credibility and ability to discuss ways to better our country. I believe all of us feel like we are in a spectator democracy…we cast ballots but once the election is over, politicians cease to listen to the people they represent. They listen to peers, donations, PACs, employers and most importantly, lobbyists. My belief is that my community and I should have the same voice as a lobbyist for GE, BP, IBM, Goldman Sachs, etc. This is not reality however. This is not a left or right issue. This is the frustration of an entire country that the political voice with the most $$ behind it, gets things done. If BP wants a particular tax break that will save them $1B in 2011, they hire a team of slick K street lobbyists (usually ex-politicians) at $1M/yr and have them HOUND every member of Congress until that bill is up for a vote. Promise jobs and prosperity with that $1B, get the parties behind you, sell, sell, sell until that bill is passed. You just made a HUGE return on investment without accountability to fulfill your promise. Repeat this scenario with every industry in America (energy, food, drugs, healthcare,real estate, etc)… play the political game and you can make/save millions/billions. The only way this reality works is because we have permitted our President/Senate/House/State/County/City to be on sale to the highest bidder.

This is the problem. And it WILL be changed by the efforts of people who could give a sh%t about left, right, socialism, tea parties, huffpost, foxnews, obamacare, fastandfurious, holder, pelosi, and (insert left or right media play of the week). They are not addicted to the game unlike most of us on this forum. They are out working and connecting with people in our community. These are the sort of people I’ve met at Occupy. I highly suggest checking it out for yourself.

DisGuestEd

Are you mad at the welfare or food stamp recipient for taking what is offered? Are you mad at yourself for taking deductions and credits at tax time? Did you cash your checks? Point is, you cannot be mad at the corpoations for taking what was offered BY OUR GOVERNMENT. Be mad at the GOVERNMENT for making these decisions. Do you really think the US would have fallen into another great depression had GM been allowed to fail? Probably not. How about Bank of America? Again, probably not. Someone on Capital Hill had a vested interest in keeping those companies going, and so, the bailout. Protest are AWESOME when they are informed, organized and directed at the appropriate persons. Go to Raleigh or better yet, DC and tell Capital Hill and the White House that YOU DISAGREE WITH THEIR DECISIONS. I would love to go to DC and protest the ridiculous decisions that have been made, and will be made but, I am the 53% and have to go to work on Monday, so the govt can take 17% of my money earned for taxes! Thanks to the 47% who seem to have all the time in the world to protest at a CLOSED BANK ON A SATURDAY! Way to be heard people.

Guest7969

but coveting is? Seems I read about that somewhere…

Trevolution

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.- Gandhi

Trevolution

Civil Rights movement
Liberation of India
Woman’s Suffrage

Just three examples of when peaceful protest worked. Want more?

Trevolution

The whole point of this is to bring political discussion to the streets and get people involved, opposed to being disenfranchised to the system. Everyone used to complain how my generation was “lazy”, now they complain were “socialists” when were politically active. We all have differing opinions and we are not one unified voice against corporatism or capitalism. Some of us protesters love the very things other members of our group hate. That is the beauty of it: we are not centered on one issue, we are multifaceted, possess multiple different opinions and belief, and this makes our movement unlike other movements with a singular objective (ie end the war in Vietnam, million man march etc). This is exactly why you should join us. You have differing opinions, some of you support capitalism, some of you support the wars, some of us don’t. Bring your voice to the street, don’t hide it behind a screen and be indifferent to the change occurring in the World right now. We as a species are on the threshold of something big. Might as well participate and try, opposed to being indifferent and cynical.